WASHINGTON: HITTING: The Nats were among the eight worst teams in the majors in runs (3.88 per game), BA (.242), OBP (.309) and OPS (.691). Much of that had to do with the first two spots in the batting order hitting .285 OBP and .283 OBP respectively. OF ROGER BERNADINA (.301 OBP) and SS IAN DESMOND (.298 OBP) were the regular 1-2 hitters in the order. $126 million OF JAYSON WERTH was also to blame, batting .232 with a meager 58 RBI in 561 at-bats. 3B RYAN ZIMMERMAN also missed two months with an abdominal problem and had a down year with 12 HR and 49 RBI in 101 games. But OF MIKE MORSE had a breakout season, leading the Nats in batting (.303), HR (31) and RBI (95). 1B ADAM LaROCHE suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in June, but should be fully healed. Washington is counting on a pair of talented 24-year-olds to contribute a little more in 2B DANNY ESPINOSA (.236 BA, 21 HR) and C WILSON RAMOS (15 HR in 389 AB). STARTING PITCHING: STEPHEN STRASBURG is back fully healed from Tommy John surgery, but will reportedly be limited to 160 innings in 2012. That's still enough time to strike out 150 batters and win a dozen games though. In sending four quality prospects to Oakland, the Nats paid a huge price for GIO GONZALEZ. They hope he can overcome his control issues and become an elite No. 2. Well-traveled EDWIN JACKSON was also brought in to help bolster the rotation. He joins his sixth different club since 2008, but Jackson is just 28 years old and was serviceable after being traded to St. Louis last year (5-2, 3.58 ERA). JORDAN ZIMMERMANN was in the same boat as Strasburg last year, coming off elbow surgery and limited to 161.1 innings. But in that time, he had a team-best 3.18 ERA and 4.0 K-to-BB ratio (124 K, 31 BB). JOHN LANNAN remains the top lefty in the Nats rotation with a team-high 10 wins in 2011. He dominated left-handed hitters last year (.211 BA, 55 K in 185 AB), but still needs to improve his weak 1.4 K-to-BB ratio (106 K, 76 BB). RELIEF PITCHING: DREW STOREN had a phenomenal first year as a full-time closer, saving 43-of-48 games with a 2.75 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 74 K in 75.1 innings. His role will remain the same in 2012 once he returns from the 15-day DL (elbow) to start the season. Newcomer BRAD LIDGE was limited to 25 innings because of shoulder problems last year, but he appears to be the closer until Storen returns. The Nats have arguably the best set-up man in the game in TYLER CLIPPARD, who led the majors with 38 holds and posted a 1.83 ERA and 0.84 WHIP for the season. He held opponents to a .162 average and fanned 104 batters in 88.1 innings of work. Lefty SEAN BURNETT saw a huge decline in his numbers, as his ERA rose from 2.14 to 3.81 and his WHIP jumped from 1.14 to 1.32. This was mostly due to a diminishing strikeout rate (8.9 to 5.2 last year).

CLEVELAND: HITTING: SS ASDRUBAL CABRERA's reinvented swing, modeled after Ben Zobrist, likely led to his power surge. OF GRADY SIZEMORE is back on a one-year deal, so he has plenty of financial incentive to stay healthy. But he will begin the season on the DL after back surgery. OF SHELLEY DUNCAN is expected to get more playing time in replacing Sizemore, but speedy OF EZEQUIEL CARRERA is also waiting for his shot. Injuries and off-the-field issues spoiled OF SHIN SOO-CHOO's 2011, but there's a good chance he bounces back . . . OF MICHAEL BRANTLEY does everything well enough to get a regular gig in center. C CARLOS SANTANA is developing into a middle-of-the-order run producer. DH TRAVIS HAFNER can't be trusted to stay healthy or to produce power numbers. After another down year, 1B MATT LaPORTA will have to sit and watch CASEY KOTCHMAN start at first more often than not. 3B LONNIE CHISENHALL will get his chance to play every day, but dwindling production the past two years is a concern. 2B JASON KIPNIS will get first crack at second base. He's got nice pop for a middle infielder. STARTING PITCHING: JUSTIN MASTERSON's strikeout rate continues to decline, and he still gets hit hard by lefties. Still, his strong groundball rate guarantees he's a solid middle-of-the-rotation arm at worst. His velocity dropped last year, and there's no telling if UBALDO JIMENEZ will ever regain his early 2010 form. He's the definition of high-risk, high-reward. DEREK LOWE was a decent middle-of-the-rotation arm in the National League, but now he must adjust to facing superior A.L. lineups . . . Healthy again, JOSH TOMLIN will remain in the rotation. He's hittable, throwing strikes and relying on his defense. Former Twins hurler KEVIN SLOWEY rounds out the staff. Although he posted a 6.67 ERA last year, Slowey has exhibited pinpoint control in his career with just 84 walks in 532.2 innings, tallying a .470 K-to-BB ratio. JEANMAR GOMEZ is a decent minor league arm, but his ceiling is low (long term and in the immediate future). CARLOS CARRASCO may not pitch in the bigs this year after Tommy John surgery. RELIEF PITCHING: CHRIS PEREZ is entrenched as the closer, but he was a bit of a disappointment last season. His velocity dropped slightly, and his strikeout rate fell off a cliff. If Perez gets hurt, VINNIE PESTANO is next in line for saves. He may be undersized, but his stuff is overpowering. TONY SIPP proved he can get out righties too, but his value is as a lefty-on-lefty guy. Ditto for sidearmer JOE SMITH, who is deadly on righties. But it would be a surprise if he shut down lefties for a second straight year. RAFAEL PEREZ has been hampered by shoulder soreness in Spring Training, but the lefty should once again be serviceable in the late innings this year.

Though he may not attract as much attention as some of the game's other top pitchers, Jordan Zimmermann has been as consistent as they come.

Zimmermann tries to build on another stellar outing Saturday night as the visiting Washington Nationals face the Cleveland Indians, who appear to be back on track.

Among the major league leaders in wins and ERA, Zimmermann (9-3, 2.00 ERA) has allowed two runs or fewer in all but two of 13 starts. The right-hander has gone at least seven innings in 10 of those outings and is holding opponents to a .205 average.

"It means I'm pitching pretty well, I'm going deep in the ballgame," he told MLB's official website. "I'm giving the team a chance."

Zimmermann had everything working Sunday in a 7-0 win over Minnesota, striking out a season high-tying eight over seven innings of two-hit ball. He showed up wearing a heating pad due to a stiff neck but didn't appear to be hindered at all.

"I'm hoping he wears that neck brace every time he goes out," manager Davey Johnson said. "That was a heck of a game."

While Zimmermann is 6-0 with a 1.06 ERA at home, he was tagged for a season-worst seven runs and a career-high 10 hits over six-plus innings during his last road start, a 9-6 loss to Baltimore on May 29.

Zimmermann has never faced Cleveland (33-33), but he's had his way with Drew Stubbs (0 for 10) and Michael Bourn (1 for 9). Mark Reynolds is 3 for 7 with a homer in their matchups, but he enters Saturday in a 2-for-23 slump and homerless in 13 straight games.

The Indians had dropped eight straight and 16 of 20 before winning their last three while allowing five runs. Cleveland held Washington (33-33) to a season-low two hits before Jason Kipnis drove in Stubbs with a fielder's choice in the ninth inning of Friday's 2-1 win.

"Losing eight or nine in a row is not the character of this team," said Stubbs, who just beat first baseman Adam LaRoche's throw home. "We just needed a few breaks to go our way to turn things around."

LaRoche grounded out with runners on second and third to end the third inning for the Nationals, who went 0 for 3 with men in scoring position after batting .313 in those situations while winning four of five.

"We had the right guys up with runners in scoring position with less than two outs," Johnson said. "Didn't put the ball in play. We've got to be better than that."

Hitting a major league-worst .211 on the road, Washington is down to .192 during its current 4-10 stretch in opposing ballparks. Away from home, Denard Span is 1 for 24 in six games this month while Jayson Werth is 4 for his last 37 and LaRoche 7 for his last 41.

The Nationals will try to break out against Scott Kazmir (3-4, 5.33), who has allowed at least four runs in four of his last six starts. The left-hander surrendered four and eight hits over six-plus innings Monday in a 6-3 loss at Texas.

"I just feel bad we couldn't get (Kazmir) any more runs," Reynolds said. "He deserves a lot better."

Kazmir could benefit from getting back home, where he's gone 3-0 with a 3.68 ERA while striking out 24 and walking four over four starts spanning 22 innings.

Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki is 2 for 22 against Kazmir, who will be making his first appearance versus Washington.